Title:  Physical Layer Design and Implementation of Distributed Arrays in Packet Networks

Committee: 

Dr. Weitnauer, Advisor

Dr. Blough, Chair

Dr. Barry

Abstract:

The objective of the proposed research is developing novel physical layer techniques for the purpose of increased range and increased data rates in modern wireless networks. All of these techniques utilize at least one distributed or virtual array, which is a collection of distinct radios or devices that collaborate in the physical layer or waveform domain in terms of synchronization and modulation. In some cases, there is a distributed array at one or both ends of a multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) link, thereby forming a distributed MIMO link. Most of the techniques are demonstrated using software defined radio (SDR).  We consider  both OFDM-based wideband transmission and minimum shift keying (MSK) narrowband modulation. The targeted wireless applications include local area networks, sensor networks, low power wide area (LPWA) networks, and ad-hoc networks. The key claims of this dissertation are as follows. Novel synchronization strategies that provide diversity gain and robustness against interference have been created for the distributed MIMO system. Additionally, a method of time division cooperative transmission (TDCT) with diversity gain and multi-user MIMO with AF relaying for array gain are implemented and demonstrated on SDRs for the purpose of range extension. Moreover, the combination of ``capture and SIC'' (C&S) and ``network MIMO'' (NMIMO) techniques is presented for the first time in the proposed on-demand network MIMO approaches for the LPWA applications, and the corresponding functionalities are tested on SDRs. Lastly, we propose to apply the nonlinear precoding scheme for effective interference cancellation in multi-cell MIMO network, meanwhile we intend to implement the hybrid nonlinear precoding and interference alignment schemes on SDRs.